International Car Theft Ring Busted in D.C.
Federal prosecutors have taken action against several individuals following an operation that dismantled an international car theft ring based in Washington, D.C.
The scheme led to the theft of at least 20 cars from the capital, its surrounding areas, and even Pennsylvania. A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia indicates that authorities believe more than 100 vehicles were stolen from D.C. alone, along with over 30 from Prince George’s County, Maryland. The stolen cars were reportedly transported all the way to Africa for illicit resale.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro claimed that the thieves utilized a device called Autel to tap into the cars’ systems, generate new key fobs, and drive off in under a minute—without any damage or need for the original keys. She described this as a “new world of auto theft” during a press briefing.
The targets of this operation spanned a variety of makes and models, including Chevrolet Corvettes, Camaros, and Honda Civics from D.C., Maryland, and Pennsylvania. According to Pirro, the stolen vehicles were hidden in a transit area at the Navy Yard in D.C. and in a Marriott parking lot in Maryland. The thieves switched out the license plates and moved the cars to shipping ports in Savannah, Georgia, and Baltimore, Maryland.
Once at sea, the cars were packed into shipping containers disguised as furniture, making their journey overseas. “These containers are then transported to Africa, where they can be sold for substantial profits on the black market,” Pirro added.
Charges have been filed against Jacob Hernandez, 29, from Los Angeles; Dustin Wetzel, 23, from Woodbridge, Virginia; James Young, 23, from Hyattsville, Maryland; Kobe David, 24, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and Chance Clark, 25, from Waldorf, Maryland, as reported by the USAO. One suspect remains at large. The charges consist of conspiracy to possess, sell, or transport a stolen vehicle, interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle, and first-degree theft.
Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll, alongside D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Pirro, announced these arrests following an investigation by Metropolitan Police Department detectives. According to WJLA, more than 20 stolen vehicles linked to these charges were worth nearly $1 million.
Bowser emphasized the broader impact of property crimes, noting how they affect community safety and individual peace of mind. “We know that when crimes of any kind occur… they impact people’s peace, their homes, their enjoyment of their neighborhoods and their sense of public safety,” she stated.
